复杂的宾语从句以及表语从句的拆分和理解 例79

例79　In the west, before mass communication and literacy, the most powerful mass medium was the church, which reminded worshippers that their souls were in peril and that they would someday be meat for worms.

【结构分析】这句话的介词短语before mass communication and literacy做状语，主干是the most powerful mass medium was the church，后面加上定语从句which reminded worshippers...，后面再加上宾语从句两个，分别是that their souls were in peril和that they would someday be meat for worms。

【亮点回放】此句话的亮点在于定语从句里面套上两个宾语从句，这种并列的宾语从句很经典，是很好的用法。

【核心词汇】

mass communication　大众传媒

literacy　文学

mass medium　大众媒体

remind　提醒

worshipper　信徒

in peril　折磨

meat for worms　被虫子吃掉

【参考译文】在西方世界，在大众传媒和文学出现之前，最强大的大众媒体是教堂，教堂提醒信徒，他们的灵魂处于长期的折磨，而且提醒他们他们某一天被虫子吃掉。